Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 12, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
At CES, NVIDIA is promoting its “3D Vision for GeForce” technology as the world’s first high-definition stereoscopic 3D solution for consumers. According to the manufacturer, display makers, PC OEMs, systems integrators and game developers have announced their support for the high-definition stereoscopic 3D solution for home users. 3D Vision combines high-tech wireless glasses, a powerful infrared emitter and software that automatically converts hundreds of PC games into stereoscopic 3D.
“By supporting both previous and forthcoming Windows games, PC gamers can experience a new level of stereoscopic 3D and enjoy the hottest games in a new dimension,” says Corey Rosemond, Group Marketing Manager, Windows Gaming.
“There is no doubt that stereoscopic 3D is a very exciting step in 3D technology and will bring decisive improvements to PC games. The moment you put on NVIDIA’s 3D Vision glasses, the visual world comes alive,” explains Peter Hammer of Ubisoft EMEA.
Unlike passive glasses, the glasses used for 3D Vision are said to offer twice the resolution and a significantly wider viewing angle. Designed like modern sunglasses, they are “a stylish alternative to conventional 3D glasses,” NVIDIA advertises. Once charged via a standard USB cable, the 3D Vision glasses can be used for more than 40 hours. If they are not used for ten minutes, they switch off automatically. A USB-based infrared emitter transmits image data within a radius of six meters. According to NVIDIA, 3D Vision works with any 120 Hz LCD display.
NVIDIA’s software is intended to convert more than 300 games automatically into stereoscopic 3D. NVIDIA’s “The Way It’s Meant to Be Played” program is also intended to ensure that future games support 3D Vision. 3D Vision is the only stereoscopic 3D solution that supports NVIDIA SLI, NVIDIA PhysX and Microsoft DirectX 10.
The package includes a free 3D Vision Viewer that allows users to take screenshots within games and view them in stereoscopic 3D. It can also import 3D images and videos from different sources.
3D Vision is expected to be available in Germany from February.
